Jove Belle

All at Sea by Cheyenne Blue (plus a FREE ebook!)

Hello everyone, I’m Cheyenne Blue, and thanks to the good natures of my friends Andi Marquette and Jove Belle, I’m creeping into the hallowed space of Women and Words to talk about my latest book, All at Sea.

All-At-Sea_800 Cover Reveal and Promo

Much of the book takes place on a yacht in the Tasman Sea off the southeast coast of Australia. A party on her family’s pleasure cruiser goes very wrong for Stevie and after getting horribly drunk, she escapes her concerned sister by hiding on an old yacht moored nearby. Stevie thinks she’ll sleep off the booze and then make her way home. But the next morning, she wakes out to sea.

Kaz is an ecowarrior on her way to an environmental protest—and she’s on a tight schedule, one that won’t allow her to return her inadvertent stowaway to shore. Trouble is, Stevie is due to start her new job as a registered nurse in a few days.

Back when I was writing All at Sea, the theme of an environmental warrior trying to save the oceans seemed very topical. After all, climate change was the big news of the day, and ordinary everyday people were starting to do more than simply sign petitions and recycle their wine bottles. There were protests, donations, new and different ways of helping the planet, and the news was chock-a-block with what governments around the world were (or weren’t) doing to try and mitigate climate change.

Then, of course, the coronashit really hit the fan. And suddenly, All at Sea is topical in a totally different way. Many of us are in lockdown, trying to navigate our new lives without going stir-crazy confined to a small space. Maybe we’re finding we have to make more of an effort to get along with the people we’re sharing that space with. We’re wondering how to exercise, cook with limited supplies, and pass the time. And we’re turning to our pets for comfort and entertainment.

It all sounds very like Stevie and Kaz, two very different people confined on a small boat, trying to navigate their way to a sort of détente. They’re luckier than many of us in that their confined space comes with an endless view of the ever-changing ocean, and they have Kaz’s seafaring cat Sinbad with them. You probably have a hot shower in your apartment though, so you’re luckier than Stevie and Kaz in that respect. 

Of course, along the way, Stevie and Kaz find they are more alike than they first think and forge a very definite rapport. This book is definitely not a murder-at-sea story!

I hope that you’re coping with your own lockdowns, and have found ways to make them more bearable, maybe even pleasurable. Reading is one thing that’s getting me through my own Coronacation. Gin is another. Maybe Stevie, Kaz, and Sinbad (of course) will help you through your own isolation.

All at Sea is out now and available from Ylva Publishing, Amazon, and usual retailers.

One lucky commenter will win an Ebook copy of All at Sea, so please do leave a comment below.

 

35 comments

    • Great question, AC! 🙂 Gin on the rocks with good quality tonic (Fevertree Mediterranean or Elderflower is a favourite, although Coles supermarket does a pretty good own brand one imported from Italy). Then a slice or three of dehydrated citrus, like grapefruit, lime or lemon. Depending on the gin, I often add a sprig of rosemary. If it’s a floral gin I don’t, but for the dryer ones, I love it! I’m not a fan of cucumber in gin – I find it too strong. Cheap gin can be saved with good tonic, but crap tonic will wreck good gin. What’s your favourite way? Always up for an in-depth discussion on this! A long reply, but you did ask.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Well, the reason I asked was that I bought some for the first time ever when I was in the liquor store a couple of months ago. I was there for some Bailey’s but there was a Rep from the Clonakilty Distillery in County Cork, Ireland with a display. He kind of sold me on it. Funny thing is, he also recommended Fevertree tonic water with lime for a great refreshing summer drink. I’m waiting for our day of summer to arrive here…hahaha I’ll have to let you know my review of it. ((smiles))

        Liked by 1 person

    • Clonakilty has a gin distillery?! OMG, I have to move there now, as Clonakility also makes excellent black pudding (blood sausage) and white pudding (ditto, but without the blood). 🙂 I await your gin review.

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  14. A book set on a boat sounds fun! Especially one that isn’t historical fiction (not that that’s a bad thing either)

    Liked by 1 person

  19. This book sounds interesting. I haven’t read many books with nautical themes. Please enter me in the draw, and thanks for offering this. Stay safe!

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Mmmmmm, gin!! Pair that with a good book and we have a winning combination. Hopefully in my favour!! Please everyone, take care and stay safe!!

    Liked by 1 person

  28. Saling’s my favourite sport. (My family’s sailboat competed in its class at the summer Olympics in . . .well, let’s just say more years ago than the age of most readers here.) 😉 Can’t wait to read All at Sea!

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  29. Better late than never :-)….thanks for the nudge from the newsletter.
    I have such a huge list of ‘wants’ as regards books to read, even when I whittle it down to ReallyGoodAuthors, and this certainly fits that category.

    And on a note I can only ascribe to ‘tales of the bizarre in real life’, or ‘does synchronicty matter?’ my wife just brought in the mail, and laughed for a good long while as she gave me a personally addressed, handwritten letter from a lady who had visited the front door on behalf of Jehovah’s Witness a couple of years ago. Holy cow, she remembered everything from our chat–probably because I was the only one to speak with her for miles. Well, I will take that as a sign; I will figure out what kind later.
    Stay safe, all.

    Liked by 1 person

  30. As with the comment above, thanks for the heads up on the contest in your newsletter. I’m all abroad for a chance to win an ebook copy of “All at Sea”😬

    Liked by 1 person

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